Human breasts are often supported by a garment known as a bra, whose main purpose is to transfer the forces involved in breast support to other body structuresxe2x80x94principally the shoulders and the rib cage.
This invention relates to a bra of the conventional type in which each shoulder of the wearer supports weight by means of a flexible band, usually of cloth, which passes over each shoulder and approximately at right angles to the line between the two shoulders; this is known as the bra strap. In other arrangements the band passes around the neckxe2x80x94the xe2x80x9chalter neckxe2x80x9d braxe2x80x94the present invention is not concerned with these. In a conventional bra it is tension in the front part of each bra strap which carries the weight of each breast.
In order to stabilise the position of the structure, some means must be provided to ensure that the bra strap tension is equalised front to back. The breast weight, however, is in front only and this, in the conventional bra, has to be balanced by equal forces produced in the remainder of the bra structure. A major contribution to this is made by the back band tension and the forces in the bra wings. Distortion is common and the back band often rises to equilibrate forces with the vertical strap tension at the back.
The present invention seeks to provide a bra structure in which the strap tension can be better equalised front and back so as to avoid distortion of the structure and consequent discomfort for the wearer by halving the strap tension.
Accordingly the present invention provides a bra structure comprising:
(a) a frontal assembly including a pair of cup shaped support members;
(b) a pair of shoulder straps each of which is adapted to extend forwardly and rearwardly over one shoulder of the wearer in use;
(c) respective means for interconnecting the front and rear ends of each strap under the corresponding arm of the wearer;
for each strap, the means for interconnecting the front and rear ends of the strap including a rigid support member which is connected directly or indirectly to the rear end of the strap and also to the corresponding side of the frontal assembly, whereby the load of the frontal assembly is balanced between the front and rear ends of the strap.
Preferably the means for interconnecting the front and rear ends of each strap comprises a rigid support member whose lower end is connected to the rear end of the strap and whose upper end is connected to an upper region of the corresponding side of the frontal assembly to which the front end of the strap is also attached.
In this way the bra strap tension can be equilibrated front and back so as to provide a stable node capable of supporting the breast weight.
An additional strap member may be provided which extends between the two rigid support members, and is connected to each of them at a point which is offset in a vertical plane from the connection point with the interconnecting means, in such a way as to counteract any tendency of the front end of each rigid support member to rotate downwardly, under the load from the frontal assembly.
In one embodiment the additional strap member is connected to each rigid support member at a point which is above the connection point and is arranged to extend across the back of the wearer.
In another embodiment the additional strap member is connected to each rigid support member at a point which is below the connection point and is arranged to extend across the front of the wearer, below the frontal assembly.